Sting operation

In crime, a sting operation is a covert operation undertaken by law enforcement agencies to arrest criminals through the use of infiltration and deception. Examples include having officers pose as drug dealers to arrest buyers, supplying false information to gangs to lure them into police traps, and to infiltrate families with the goal of incriminating key members and sending them to prison. During the 2000s, the NYPD cracked down on drug dealers by using undercover policemen (including Charlie Chen) to set up drug deals that would be ambushed by SWAT troopers and policemen. Both the NYPD and New Jersey state troopers would lure criminals into traps by leaving drug stashes and drug vehicles in the open; the criminals would attempt to steal them, as they were unaware of any owner's presence, and the police would bust them.